Rotary exhaust-regulator for locomotives



EDWARD R. ADDISON, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

ROTARY EXHAUST-REGULATOR FOR LOCOMOTIVES.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 18,878, dated Qctober 13, 1,857.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, EDWARD R. ADDISON, of the city of Baltimore and State of Maryland, have invented a Rotary Exhaust-Regulator for Locomotives; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification.

Figure 1, is a top view of my said invention, after its cover o, has been removed, and Fig. 2, is a section of my exhaust regulator in the line y, y, of Fig. l; and in connect-ion therewith the said drawing also represents the respective parts of a locomotive which'said invention may be combined for the purpose of regulating the escape of steam from its engines into its chimney A, in such a manner as may be required to increase or diminish its draft.

Oval, round, or angular conducting tubes j, Ze, Z, m, which correspond with each other in length, and also in the size and shape of their lower ends, while their upper ends vary considerably in size, are united to each other around a central journal aperture, by an open frame el, whose annular rim is armed with a series of teeth, as shown in the drawings. The said frame (Z, is received into a round case composed of the top and bottom portions a, ZJ, which are united to each other by means of screw-bolts that pass through ears p, p, projecting from each portion of said case. The frame d, rotates upon the central pivot c, which rises from the under portion o, of its inclosing case. rIhe frame Cl, and the case a, b, which receives it, must be so proportioned with relation to each other, that the extremities of the tubes j, 7s, Z, m, as well as the other portions of said frame, will iit closely against the top and bottom of said case.

An outwardly flaring nozzle g, descends from an aperture near the periphery of the under side of the case a, o; and from an aperture of corresponding size in the upper portion a, of said case, there rises the straight sided nozzle f. The aforesaid nozzle apertures in the top and bottom of the case a, o, must be exactly opposite each other, and must correspond in size and shape with the largest conducting tube j, in the frame (l, and also with the lower ends of the other tubes 7c, Z, m, in the said frame; and the said apertures are in such positions, that by rotating the said frame d, to the proper points,

the lower ends of each conducting tube combined therewith, may be made to ,embrace the nozzle aperture in the lower portion o, of said case, as shown in Fig. l.

The exhaust-case a, b, has a lateral offset which receives a pinion s, whose teeth gear into the teeth on the periphery of the frame el. The said pinion s, is secured to the shaft a, which passes upward through the breeching of the boiler; and the upper end of said shaft may be connected, by means ofsuitable gearing wheels and shafts, with an operating lever, or hand-wheel, located within reach of the engineer.

It will be perceived that the portions of the frame d, which connect the conduct-ing tubes j, 70, Z, m, to each other, are so thin that there are ample spaces between them for the passage of the exhaust steam during the time that the said frame is being turned for the purpose of bringing any desired one of the said conducting-tubes over the orifice of the nozzle g.

The lower nozzle g, of my rotary exhaustregulator, may be connected with the exhaust valves of the engines of a locomotive, by means of the curved tubes z', z', and the central connecting box 71 in the manner represented in Fig. 2 of the accompanying drawings; or in any other suitable manner.

l/Vhen it is desired to use the exhaust steam for the purpose of increasing the draft of the chimney to the greatest possible degree, the exhaust-regulator must be so adjusted as to cause the steam to pass into the chimney through the smallest tube m, of said regulator; and when it is desirable that the exhaust steam should pass into the chimney in so free a manner as to produce but little inluence upon the draft from the furnace, the said exhaust-regulator must be so adjusted as to cause the steam to pass into the chimney through the largest tube y', of said regulator.

It will be perceived that my exhaust-regulator is so constructed that it is impossible for cinders or ashes to penetrate the interior of its case a, o, or in any manner obstruct the free movement of the frame which serves to connect the respective conducting tubes j, 71:, Z, m, thereof.

I do not claim the employment, merely, of revolving nozzles of varying size to effect the change of the escape through them alone, as in the patent of A. IV. Roberts, dated May 8th, 1855; nor do I claim a sliding series of conical openings, as in the variable exhaust pipes 'of F. Espenshade, patented March 14th, 1854. But

W'hat I do claim as my invention, and :for which I desire to secure Letters Patent, is

The arrangement of a variable series of openings in a revolving skeleton Wheel moved' by gearing from the outside of the locomotive steam boiler substantially in the manner described, when combined with the close case for excluding the ashes from the i Wheel and thus securing its perfect operation in the manner described.

The above specification of my rotary eX- haust regulator for steam engines, signed 15 and7 witnessed this 13th day of August. 185

E. R. ADDISON.

Titnesses 4 GEORGE W. ADAMS, Z. C. ROBBINS. 

